General Assembly Passes Occupational Licensing Reform
Occupational licenses can create unnecessary barriers for Illinois residents looking to start new jobs. Occupational licenses can also create roadblocks for entrepreneurs that would like to start new businesses.
House Bill 5576 unanimously passed the Senate and will go to the Governor!
This legislation builds on the current licensing review process by collecting important information about the requirements associated with obtaining a license, so they can be more comprehensively reviewed by the General Assembly. This legislation will provide crucial information which can help legislators evaluate occupational licenses and eliminate or modify them when appropriate.
Modifying or eliminating overly burdensome or restrictive occupational licenses can support small businesses struggling to hire employees, remove unnecessary or outdated barriers for entrepreneurs, and foster the growth of our economy.
We are thankful to our partners at the IJ Clinic on Entrepreneurship for their collaboration. We are grateful to Representative Ammons and Senator Koehler for their leadership in moving this legislation forward.
Small Business Mayoral Forum Recap
The Small Business Advocacy Council and a robust number of chambers and organizations hosted a small business mayoral forum. This was a lively discussion about each candidate’s visions for supporting small businesses and neighborhood business districts. We want to thank all of the local chambers of commerce that partnered with us on this important forum.…
SBAC Women in Business: Roundtable on Small Businesses and Child Care
The SBAC Women in Business hosted a virtual roundtable with Chairman Edgar Gonzalez Jr. to discuss accessibility to affordable child care and small businesses. It was an insightful conversation and we sincerely thank Chairman Gonzalez for taking the time out of his busy schedule to join us and for championing this legislation! We look forward…
Welcome Our New BOD Member!
Welcome Sherry Jursa! We’re happy to welcome Sherry Jursa from PNC‘s Business Banking wing to the Empower Board. Sherry holds an MBA from Northern Illinois University and a BA from North Central College in Political Science. With over 15 years’ experience in banking, Sherry is a proven professional who strives to provide excellence while meeting…
